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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Ever been to Tucson, Az. ?

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Sept. 1, 2009 11:44 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

I have to go to Yuma for work but figured the last few days I'm there I would fly the bride out; have some good Mexican food and go look at the rocks or something.

I'd love to retire to the Southwest but it's too far from family to make it permanent, maybe four months a year is good.

We'll be driving a renta car so galavanting across the State is nonproductive. Been to Phoenix didn't like it, spent a week In Prescott 100 miles north and I could move there tomorrow. Sedona, pass. Tucson is within reasonable driving distance so if you have suggestions, ideas or whatevers, I'd be glad to hear them.

I understand New Mexico is the same blue sky, same mountains but a much poorer State, i.e. cheaper to live. Too far to drive on this trip.

Dan
Sept. 1, 2009 12:08 p.m. spitfirebill Dork

I once worked with a guy that lived in Yuma. He said they would get maybe 6 inches of rain a year and it may come all at once. That's dry!
Sept. 1, 2009 12:18 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

Arizonans joke that the only reason Yuma exists is because you can't make it from Phoenix to the coast on one tank of gas.
Sept. 1, 2009 12:20 p.m. walterj Dork

No, but I spent all of January in PHX and loved driving south out in the desert after work. The hiking and scenery is great but alien for a guy from the NE. Rent a vert if its a business trip. It never rains so you can go topless all week.
Sept. 1, 2009 12:26 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

If you catch that 3:10 to Yuma train... Nevermind.

Yeah, I've been to Tuscon. Put a new headlight on my bike there. Bought some highway floorboards for my next (current) bike there. As long as you're there before, say, 5AM, the temp isn't too bad. After that, bring AC or don't go. I don't think I'd want to live in that part of the country. Flagstaff isn't too bad. The mountains northeast of Pheonix are nice, or were last I went through there. I understand your feelings towards Sedona. What a tourist trap, and crawling with post-menopausal women carrying around small bags of rocks.
Sept. 1, 2009 12:28 p.m. Gearheadotaku New Reader

The north side of the city is nicer than the south. South Tucson is a city within the city and should be avoided. It has been a long time since I've been here, things may have changed. Be sure to take a drive up Mt Lemon (Lennon?) great road IIRC. If you're into planes, there's a small museum at the Air force base, and the roads around the base will give you a good veiw of the massive mothballed air fleet there. There's stuff thats been out there since the 60's I think.
Sept. 1, 2009 12:44 p.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Thanks. I liked Prescott because it had only one major intersection, higher in elevation than Phoenix so it gets four distinct seasons. I understand Tucson is rolling & grassy, find out in October.

No, I don't golf.
Sept. 1, 2009 2:28 p.m. jgp1843 HalfDork

If you can stand another hundred miles, go to Bisbee in the southeast corner of the state. Former copper mining town, now pretty artsy. Very scenic and hilly, higher so it's not as hot in the summer. Great museum in the middle of town with superb mineral exhibit, they used to use the back road over Mule Mountain as a hillclimb course in the '60s and '70s. (Yep, my wife is from Bisbee).

In the same neck of the woods are Sierra Vista (military town) and Tombstone. Tombstone is extremely touristy, but there is good old West history there if you know where to look for it (the Courthouse museum and the silver mine tour are both good).

Great scenery in this part of the state, and some super museums (google Amerind Foundation).

The air museum in Tucson is outstanding - they have everything from WWI fighters to an SR-71 Blackbird.

Unbelievable mineral show in February on Valentine's Day weekend if you're in the area then.
Sept. 1, 2009 2:47 p.m. Bobzilla HalfDork

Inlaws live there. Sadly I must visit at least once every other year. Not a bad area, just so different than here (central Indiana). I love the vegitation, love the mountains. If they didn'tlive there, I would consider moving there.
Sept. 1, 2009 3:34 p.m. Will Reader

Just to state the obvious, Tucson is really hot.
Sept. 1, 2009 3:38 p.m. Bobzilla HalfDork

^ lol.... Yeah, we were there in July it was 114.
Sept. 1, 2009 6:19 p.m. Hasbro HalfDork

Yeah, rent a vert. I dare you. Hmm, when were you planning on coming and for how long? If you're staying overnight, check out Westward Look. Very nice, close to a lot of hiking trails. Uhh, the hiking trails are a bit warm right now but if you're an early riser... All the snowbirds are away right now and there's a good reason. I'd be looking for the higher elevation areas. Tucson is not a high enough elevation for this time of year. Pm me if you want more info. As for me, in a couple of days, I'm hittin' Hilton Head Island for a couple of weeks. Love the desert but at this time of year you can have it.
Sept. 2, 2009 12:57 a.m. Jerry From LA HalfDork

Tucson is actually about five degrees cooler than Phoenix on average. Yeah, I know. It's the difference between 120 and 115 degrees. In Tucson, there's always Mt Lemmon at over 9,000 feet for a little cooling off time. Phoenix is in a valley so it holds more heat. Tucson sits mostly on a hillside.

Davis Monthan AFB is there. They park all the inactive planes there. Thousands of them in mothballs. The museum is very good as well. You can walk around an SR-71 Blackbird or an X-15 or a B-47, one of the most beautiful planes ever produced. To me, Tucson is far more interesting than Phoenix.
Sept. 2, 2009 5:53 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

I was surprised traveling from Phoenix to Prescott, at 1200 ft. in elevation the big Sewara cactii just stopped. Guess it's a flat land critter.

Dan
Sept. 2, 2009 1:40 p.m. InigoMontoya Reader

Wife and I are up here in Phx, we subscribe to Sunset Magazine, they don't do so much car stuff, but there have been quite a few articles on Tuscon. I enjoyed going to the Saguaro Nation Forest park and zoo, it is interesting to walk around in and see some of the desert wildlife. There are autocrosses in Tuscon and Sierra Vista depending on when you are going to be here, always fun in a rental. Should be able to find the schedule at http://www.azsolol.com
Sept. 3, 2009 5:15 p.m. Lesley SuperDork

+1 for Bisbee! What a cool town, so removed from everywhere else. Streets are hilly, buildings are perched on the sides of mountains, really cool, hole-in-the-wall shops. The Sonora Desert Museum is pretty nice. http://www.desertmuseum.org/ 20 or so miles of hiking, beautiful landscapes, critters, an apiary. Nice.

Coolest of all is the Kartchner Cavern - I was spellbound. If you need any more convincing, there's fossilized bacon. Really. http://www.azpbs.org/wildaz/caverns/facts/living.html
Sept. 3, 2009 6:06 p.m. jde Reader

Another vote for the Pima Air Museum, and bus tour of the boneyard at Davis-Monthan.
Sept. 4, 2009 11:31 a.m. Jerry From LA HalfDork

914Driver wrote:

I was surprised traveling from Phoenix to Prescott, at 1200 ft. in elevation the big Sewara cactii just stopped. Guess it's a flat land critter.

Dan

Actually, the saguaro grow up the side of Mt Lemmon up to about five thousand feet. The thrive on the hillsides in Sabino Canyon. Interesting point: They don't grow their first arm until they're about 70 years old.
Sept. 4, 2009 11:56 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Huh? I wonder why they disappeared heading north out of Phoenix?
Sept. 4, 2009 12:12 p.m. InigoMontoya Reader

Difference in rainfall, if you take 89A north out of Phoenix (east of the 17) you see them for a much longer period of time.
Sept. 4, 2009 12:25 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

One other thing, watch out for the radar cameras on I10 in and around Phoenix. BAD BAD BAD. I'm really surprised they haven't fallen victim to a 30-'06.
Sept. 4, 2009 1:51 p.m. InigoMontoya Reader

At Christmas there were a few people dressed up as Santa that went around putting boxes that looked like presents over the top of them.
Sept. 4, 2009 8:07 p.m. aussiesmg Dork

I met my wife face to face for the first time in Winslow.

We are the result of an online relationship ten years and going strong
Sept. 5, 2009 5:47 p.m. iceracer HalfDork

The AARP just selected Tuscon as the #1 best place to live.
Sept. 5, 2009 5:49 p.m. 914Driver SuperDork

Great. Like I need to be reminded I'm old....

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